Thanksgiving is Not Cancelled

Thanksgiving is going to look a little different this year.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade has cut their course down to basically a single stop.

Football teams will play to mostly empty stadiums.

The family and friends gathered around the dinner table will a noticeably smaller crowd.

Here’s the thing.

Thanksgiving may look different this year, but Thanksgiving is not cancelled.

That’s because Thanksgiving is more than the sum of its parts.

Thanksgiving is a posture of the heart.

Thanksgiving is an expression of gratitude.

There has been a lot of anxiety this year. There has been a lot of disappointment. There has been a lot of loss.

So, for what are we to be grateful?

Let me make a suggestion.

Take that anxiety to God and thank Him for caring about you (1 Peter 5:7).

Take that disappointment to God and thank Him for giving you hope (Romans 8:24-26).

Take that loss to God and thank Him for bringing comfort to your broken heart (Psalm 34:18).

It’s easy to thank God when times are good, but He is no less worthy of our thanks when times are hard.

Our Thanksgiving may look different.

But our Thanksgiving is not cancelled.

The Joy of Gratitude

I sat down to write a profound reflection on gratitude. I intended to compose beautiful words about what it means to give thanks. I tried to focus on finding the right way to describe what this day is to be about.

But, Annie just wanted me to play with her.

My six-month-old niece was scooting around at my feet. She let out a delighted squeal as she gripped my pant leg and tried to pull herself up. She looked at me with her big blue eyes and gave me a heart-melting, dimpled smile.

I put away my writing and got down on the floor.

Thanksgiving is about, well, giving thanks for all that God has done for us.

Gratitude, though, is more than what we say – it’s how we live.

Gratitude is about thanking God for Annie and then getting down on the floor and enjoying the blessing of her little life.

Gratitude is about thanking God for your family and then savoring the laughter shared around the dinner table.

Gratitude is about thanking God for your friends and then treasuring the conversations over a cup of coffee.

It is expression and enjoyment.

Words of gratitude without a life of gratitude are empty.

Let’s express our gratitude today, but let’s not forget to enjoy what God has given.

The Object of Gratitude

Gratitude has been getting a lot of press lately.

Psychologists present research demonstrating the many mental and emotional benefits of practicing gratitude. Motivational speakers and productivity gurus talk about the value of incorporating gratitude into their daily routines. Publishing companies are releasing gratitude journals sprinkled with inspirational quotes.

But, there’s something missing.

The object of gratitude.

Gratitude implies that a gift has been received. If a gift was received, then there must have been a giver.

Do you see what’s been done? They’ve made gratitude about the receiver rather than about the giver. The expression of gratitude, as a response to the giver, has been turned into the emotion of gratitude, to further profit the receiver.

Thursday, we celebrate Thanksgiving.

As we sit down to share a meal with our families and friends, let’s remember to whom we give thanks. Let’s remember that every gift has a giver.

Let’s remember that there is none worthier of our gratitude than the God who gave us life and breath, provision and protection, justice and order, forgiveness and grace, love and relationship.

Thanksgiving, after all, is about giving thanks. So, this year, let’s do that.

Let’s give thanks to God – the Giver of every good and perfect gift.